ANTARCTICA

“Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low Income. Extreme Cold. Long months of complete darkness. Constant danger. It is safe to return to life. Honor and recognition in case of success” Sir Ernest Shackelton.

Log:

The one rep Antártida 30.000 annual visits but never meets two passenger ships in the same area.

To go to the Antarctic my wife Lorraine and I, varem al'aeroport fly to Buenos Aires to Ushuaia i posteriorment,the southernmost city in the world. From here we boarded the small ship expedition Ushuaia ANTARPPLY Shipping Company.

Our journey to the icy land of Antarctica began at 18 hours when, embarcats in the B / M USHUAIA, sailed from the port of Ushuaia honking the horn of the ship. The cocktail was an opportunity to get to know our fellow travelers. Later, Our Expedition Leader, Sebastian Blust, We presented guidelines for speakers, who accompanied us throughout the journey. Daniel Martinioni, Susan Adie, Monika Schiller and Juliet Pedrana share with us many interesting details about the Antarctic animals, history, geography, geology and preservation of this remote continent and guide us safely in this beautiful but inhospitable environment.

Sebastian also introduced us to our captain, Jorge Aldegheri, Ushuaia who immediately prepare to navigate through the waters of the Beagle Channel on our way to the stormy waters of the Drake Passage. After explanations and presentations felt the ship's alarm: xafarranxo signal was abandoned in the first simulation. After dinner we watched the documentary “Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure “, really interesting for lovers of white continent.

Day 4 the November. Passatge the Drake

When we wake in the morning we see that the Drake Passage we were dealing with benevolence. But anyway some of the expedition fell victims of sickness or ill sea. That morning we had an interesting talk on “The Geography of the White Continent “, by Sebastian and we learned many useful details.

Juliet continued with a lecture on “Seabirds of the Southern Ocean “and we loved seeing the great number of excellent adaptations of birds to their environment. Then we had the opportunity to appreciate these birds live and live as we did a session of bird watching. We could see around the ship Albatross clear mantle, wandering albatross, gegants southern petrels, Petrel Petrel painted and some of the storms. In the afternoon will be Dany, who invited us to learn more about the geology of Antarctica. These lectures are really interesting.

After dinner we watched the film “Antarctica, an adventure of different naturalesa “. D'hour a nit, had crossed the Antarctic Convergence zone, aka Polar Front, for many, we were already in the waters of the Southern Ocean.

After a good breakfast we were ready to face a new day in the Drake Passage. It started with a fascinating talk about Juliet “Penguins”. As intuited that these would be our new best friends, wanted to know everything you can about them. We learned that cold and wet lead a life full of sacrifices but also long vacation.

To take, Sebastian, Our Expedition Leader, explained the rules of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO by its acronym in English) for visitors to Antarctica, as well as also the rules and safety procedures for the use of the Zodiac can. We learned many details about how to dress for landings and how to behave while visitéssim Antarctica. After we select our rubber boots, We test the equipment we had brought cold and we were really ready to know this fascinating new world.

As crossing the Drake Passage was faster than expected,we could reach the island in the Islets Barrientos Aitcho enough time to enjoy a first landing. Aitcho Islands are north of the entrance Français Strait. Robert Island is situated south east of Greenwich and the island. These islands were mapped and named with the initials OH. (Referring to: Admiralty Hydrographic Office) and finally known as “Aitcho” in espanyol, under the acronym of the English phonetics. A mitja takes, pluja a mica amb, added to our adventurous spirit we landed and we observe Papua penguins and white face as most of its nests with eggs. We were surprised at the lack of snow hills. We had expected to see much more snow. A dramatic landscape we welcomed. Part of the volcanic rocks of the island were hidden behind the fog, the set was very similar to a medieval castle with Penguins.

Back on board comforts us another delicious dinner and then our fellow traveler and adventurerAmyr Klink had the courtesy to give a presentation on their adventures aboard their boats “Paratii” in “Paratii II”. Enjoyed their fascinating presentation.

After it was time to go to bed. The Ushuaia left behind Barrientos Island bow and put toward our next destination Cuverville Island.

Mati amb molt bon climate, we are ready to disembark on the island Cuverville. Not a drop of wind will disturb, but still needed to reach. So our new friends and workers of Port Lockroy ( Tudor, Michael Nicholas I) We were delighted to chat about the historical basis, we were going to visit the next day. The presentation was completed with the movie based on “Ice Cool Brittannia”. Spotted a small island in the shadow of a larger Rong Island.

The island was named for Cuverville Gerlache in honor of a French vice-admiral of the navy who helped supply his expedition. In it we could see a large penguin colony Papua, in fact it seemed that we were in the presence of a caravan of Penguins. From the northern beaches of the island came thousands in a row, semble that in the end May. We saw penguins well-nourished, super heavy advancing slowly toward the few places free from snow. Although they could not see nests, Most birds were frantically looking for partners while others had been trying to figure out where their nest last year. We also did some flying Escuin.

The beaches around the island could see rocks of different compositions that were transported by glaciers from several of the Antarctic Peninsula. Back in Ushuaia we enjoy a brief, but no less enjoyable in the zodiac cruise among the icebergs.

In the afternoon we went al'escènica Bay Andvord. There we went to see Neko Harbour, a tiny bay surrounded by towering glaciers and very active. We landed our last day in Port Neko, facing the port Andvord. Neko was named in honor of the factory ship of Christian Salvesen, which operated the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula from 1911 a 1924. Despite being a place of great beauty, Neko Harbour is named after a vessel associated with whaling. Gulls nest Escuin cooks and today the bay.

A colony of penguins and a Papuan Wedell seal resting on the beach perfected photography. But soon interrupted the idyllic landscape when he heard a sound and uproar caused the glacier breaks causing a small tsunami wave of dangerous beach. We run and climb to reach higher ground, outside her area of ​​perilla. Once up deep breath and enjoy the beautiful view and our first ride on the same continent, since Andvord Bay is part of the Antarctic Peninsula.

A la nit, Our staff helped expedition team landed at Port Lockroy their luggage, Boxes and supplies. They also came for Amyr Klink, Thurs va al make their iot “Consistently II”. The emotional farewell became strongly. Were a couple of hours to help palejar light snow at the base and then came time to return to Ushuaia.

One other despertar of hora, this time to appreciate the navigation channel under a weak snowfall Lemaire. El Lemaire Channel, conegut with “Fuji Funnel” the “Kodak Gap”, is a narrow passage between the Antarctic Peninsula and the island Booth, d’uns 12 km long and its narrowest is not just about 500 m. The name was given in honor of Adrien de Gerlache Jacob Lemaire, Belgian explorer of the Congo in Africa. After crossing the canal, heading south we went to the beautiful island Petermann. It is named in honor of the German geographer August Petermann. The 1908, on this island, winter was the French explorer Jean Baptiste Charcot and his crew on the boat Porquoi Step?.

On this island we had the great opportunity of his first visit to a small colony of Adelie penguins. We are going uphill in the snow virgin. We were the first humans to set foot on the island this season and we feel very privileged.

The small black and white penguins were rushing to reach their nests. They quickly slid on his belly in the snow uphill, which show! Note that a stage had chosen for their colony. From the cliff was seen entering the Strait and the Lemaire Channel Penoles. Canvi Lentament climate is: We see how the wind began to snow swirls about and we feel like the temperature began to drop.

Back on board we call the Ukrainian scientific base “Akademik Vernadsky” ilies has Argentines. This base was the former British base that Faraday 1996 was ceded to Ukraine by the British pound sterling. Members of the foundation asked us to go visit them: “If us plau!!”. It had hits in eight months and were a bit desperate to see us. Had risen as a strong wind prevented us carry on an expedition in the entire zodiac Island Pleneau, None of our Expedition agreed and heads south. In the afternoon we reach our point of navigation and southernmost (Lat. 65 ° 15 ‘S, Long. 64 ° 16′ The). But unfortunately we were unable to visit the Ukrainian. A carpet of ice prevented us from advancing, while giving us a sample of how to impose rigorous nature of the White Continent. Ho sentim a l'anima, but there was no other option but to change course and head back north.

Com for art de Màgia, in the area of ​​the island had Pleneau calm winds, allowing bots to finally tackle a cruise around some huge blocks of ice that had been stranded in the bay. Watch a couple of seals “cangrejeras” they were resting on the ice. We were also captivated by the beauty of the various blocks of ice with their thousands of different shades of blue and turquoise.

In the morning we visit historic Port Lockroy, Wiencke Island which is located. Initially this site was used as a port for the whaling. The 1944, A base was established in the British government as part of an initiative to monitor secret German naval movements during the Second World War. The expedition took the codename “Operation Tabarin”, pel night club parisenc.

In the postwar station continued as a civilian until detachment 1964 agencies and ser desactivat. They spent some thirty years until it was reactivating the site, but this time he became a living museum recreating the historical times.

Tudor, Nicola and Michael gave us a nice welcome. They felt the urge to show his magic museum and explain all the details. But we captured the penguin colony of Papuan, that based wrappers. When we saw also from Amyr Klink had prepared his boat to sail the beautiful bay and meet with another adventure.

After lunch we prepare for our second landing on the mainland based Brown, located at the Badia Paradis. This bay was named by whalers of the early twentieth century not only by the spectacular beauty of its surrounding mountains and glaciers, but also and especially for its calm waters that offered a good place for landfall. The bay is based Brown Argentina, which is not currently in operation, But for several summers are developing cleaning and maintenance at the base so it can again be employed for scientific purposes.

Entre ones i témpans, Zodiac timoners of our walk took us to see incredible ancient glaciers that from the top of the mountains down to the sea in Caleta Skontorp. We also see a breeding colony of Papua penguins and Antarctic cormorants nest in a cliff near storied walls filled with interesting minerals of sedimentary origin. Un group de foques “cangrejeras” came the spy bots to their passengers. But even though we enjoyed the show, strong wind began to cut his face and was soon time to return to ship.

Morning, before breakfast, admitted horseshoe-shaped Deception Island through the narrow opening called Neptune Fuelles. It was impressive to see how viràvem to starboard and sailed near the north-eastern wall of Fuelles.

The L'illa 14 km across a flooded boiler (Port Foster) which was formed as a result of the collapse of the volcano. Port Foster voltant of tea 9 km long in a north-west and south-east a little less 6 km d'ample. This is the most secluded of the South Shetland Islands. However, after crossing the Fuelles we found that wind conditions were still very strong, so Sebastian announced it would not be possible landing. Our boat was anchored in Port Foster, where you could see the Spanish base Gabriel de Castella and base Argentine Deception. We take this time for breakfast and hear a fascinating lecture on the history of the South Atlantic whaling by Monika.

Our captain was offered a cruise ship around inside the main crater of the island, which was accompanied by explanations by Dany about geology of this fascinating place.

Later, as the wind was still blowing quite strong, The ship lifted anchor and continued their course sailing north island of Media Luna. This small island, crescent-shaped as the name suggests, is located between Livingston and Greenwich Islands, providing a sheltered spot to anchor. We arrived on the island of Crescent afternoon, now with less wind and better weather, and we prepare for our first landing of the day and last Antarctic landing. We started walking along the coast to the Argentine Chamber base that currently is not in operation. From here we continue our walk up to a colony of penguins “chinstrap”. Along the way we saw several seals Wedel also resting on the beach, Escuin Palomer and some Antarctic.

In this beach, intrèpits the more we decided to bathe in Antarctic waters with a temperature sufficiently negative.

At the end of dinner, while our ship undertook its course again towards the Drake, we began to prepare our cars for a crossing a little moved.

Drake, there we go …

Day 10 of November 2010: Passatje the Drake

To awaken, see that the boat was moving a little more than al'anada. The relentless PassatgeDrake tortured us with a hangover wave, had formed the previous day with the wind.

As al'anada, Our expedition team continued giving us information in the form of talks, conferences and so we could solve many questions that had been the inkwell. We talk about the different forms of ice damage, of Pinniped històriade with Juliet and Antarctic exploration in the Heroic Age with Monika. With the talks not only learn more about the land they had just visited but also on past rememoràvem.

In the afternoon we spent in the pelagic bird observation deck.

This day, were many more casualties among the expedition and had a real feast of vomiting.

Day 11 of November 2010: Drake Passatje i Boca del Canal Beagle

Slowly leaving the Passatje Drake and we move back to the South American continent.

For the late, ja shelf in the Beagle Channel, we meet in the conference room for our expedition to tancamentde festeta and improvised on the deck with whiskey on the rocks with Antarctic ice.

The morning light marked the culmination of our trip. Returning us to a place known, but they were not the same: we returned with invaluable experience of having known Antarctica.

Will be a memorable viatge. The variety and quantity of animals that we saw during this trip will surely be one of the lucky memories deeply engraved in our memory along with the stunning Antarctic landscape.

Captive by the great white continent, I do not know when or how but again. The great magnet blanc CRIDA ens.